Discover Your Next
Theatre Experience

Step behind the curtain and discover the magic of Actors Theatre of Louisville, a National Historical landmark. Explore our three distinct performance spaces, learn fascinating theatrical history, and glimpse the creative process that brings productions to life. Our guided tours offer an exclusive backstage experience you don't want to miss.

Scene Study: Presence, Connection, and Creative Play

Step into a supportive space to build confidence, explore characters, and develop emotional versatility as an actor. This four-week class is designed for anyone interested in acting, whether you’re preparing for auditions, looking to sharpen your skills, or simply curious about exploring performance.

Each week, you’ll work with scene partners, experiment with text, and engage in Meisner-inspired exercises to strengthen presence, emotional openness, and authentic connection. Together, we’ll break down scenes, explore character motivations, and play with different approaches to acting; all in a fun, safe, and welcoming environment that encourages you to show up as you are.

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What You’ll Get:

·  In-the-room scene work guided by experienced teaching artists

·  Practical tools for text and character development

·  Exercises to build emotional versatility and presence

·  Encouraging feedback in a supportive, collaborative environment

·  Skills that transfer to everyday life; communication, collaboration, and creative confidence

No prior experience required—just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to play.

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Teaching Artists:

• Julia Estrada (she/her): Broadway performer (Hamilton), organizational psychology consultant, and co-founder of AlloImpact
• Devin McCarthy (she/her): TV/film actor and founder of The Oracle’s Daughters, a creative studio focused on storytelling and ritual

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Class Details:

• When: Weekly on Tuesday Evenings
• Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Location: Actors Theatre of Louisville
• Who: Adults, 18+

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Current and Upcoming Sessions:

2025 Session 4

• Class 1: December 9
• Class 2: December 16
  **BREAK FOR HOLIDAY
• Class 3: January 6
• Class 4: January 13

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2026 Session 1

• Class 1: February 3
• Class 2: February 10
• Class 3: February 17
• Class 4: February 24

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2026 Session 2

• Class 1: March 10
• Class 2: March 17‍
• Class 3: March 24
• Class 4: March 31

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2026 Session 3

• Class 1: April 14
• Class 2: April 21
• Class 3: April 28
• Class 4: May 5

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2026 Session 4

• Class 1: May 19
• Class 2: May 26
• Class 3: June 2
• Class 4: June 9

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Tuition:

• $200 for students (Tuition covers the full four-week series)

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Space is limited. This is an intimate, actor-centered experience designed for trust, focus, and growth. Join us and keep the scene alive.

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For more information, please email lace@actorstheatre.org.

Actors Theatre of Louisville welcomes back New York-based company Fiasco Theater as they combine their joyful, actor-driven approach to Shakespeare with the ingenuity of The Saunders Collective—a family of multi-talented performers, singers, composers and producers. Featuring original music, this collaboration breathes magical new life into the classic madcap farce about two pairs of identical twins, separated in a shipwreck, whose day roaming the same city leads to mistaken identities, cascading misadventures, and gloriously silly comic confusion.
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“Fiasco is doing justice to Shakespeare in a wholly and excitingly contemporary way…Among its tools are careful compression, deep investigation of character, a pleasure in the gestalt of ensemble work, and a firm believe the that plays are meant to be, well, accessible fun.”

                     —The Washington Post

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“The Saunders family taps a compelling vein within the genre of musical theater.”

                     —Theatermania

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The After Show Show is back for the 2025-26 season with four fabulous performances! Hosted by drag superstars Dusty Ray Bottoms and May O'Nays, this cabaret-meets-musical-theatre spectacular brings together local legends, touring talent, and rising youth performers for an unforgettable staging of sequins, show tunes, and slaying. Grab a cocktail and your friends and get ready to kiki in the Victor Jory Theatre.

Join us for a family-style dinner at Decade Restaurant, and an intimate cabaret performance at B-Side with The Saunders Collective —

Broadway performers and stars of the upcoming production of The Comedy of Errors.

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This one-night-only evening is a fundraiser for Actors Theatre of Louisville.

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THE SAUNDERS COLLECTIVE presents FAMILY DINNER

Join The Saunders siblings for Family Dinner...or their version of it. Aren't you curious what these 4 siblings could have possibly been fed to end up with careers on Broadway??

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Grab a seat at the table as Trent (Dead Outlaw, Hadestown, Aladdin), Heath (Company, Great Comet), Claire (Sweeney Todd), and Alanna (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) sort through their dreams, their experience in the theater industry, and their collective childhood trauma! All through the lens of their unhinged love of musical theater. Could be fun.
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TICKET OPTIONS

• $160 — Dinner, wine pairings + performance
• $125 — Dinner(without wine pairings)+ performance

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*Tickets are limited to 60 guests. Don’t miss your chance to grab a seat at the table!

Wave After Wave

by Benjamin Benne

directed by Amelia Acosta Powell

World Premiere produced by Actors Theatre of Louisville

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In this expansive journey through two intertwined lives, Sean and Nathanael, cousins born just weeks apart, reconnect on the same beach each year as they grow from building sandcastles to navigating the tides of adulthood. They swim in the ocean, eat carne asada, and witness their paths, their bodies, and the natural world changing while time rolls forward. Spanning a century in the ten-billion-year lifespan of the planet with breathtakingly poetic theatrical imagination, Wave After Wave is both an exploration of human and ecological transformation and the story of a tender, complicated bond between men.

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Premiering this April in the Bingham Theatre!

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The Puppetry Trio brings together three distinct puppet performances, presented in a single ticketed experience. While the stories are not connected, each piece uses puppetry as its central storytelling medium—showcasing how the form can shift in tone, style, and subject matter across different audiences.

The performances are intentionally ordered to escalate in recommended age, thematic complexity, and emotional depth. Beginning with an all-ages surreal exploration, moving into playful folklore with gentle scares, and concluding with an absurdist reimagining of a literary classic, the Puppetry Trio offers audiences a chance to experience the wide expressive range of contemporary puppetry.

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Audience members are welcome to attend the full trio or use the progression as a guide when choosing which performances are the best fit for their group. The shows will premiere in the following order:

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La Petite Volontaire

Written by Brittany Conder
Directed by Brittany Conder
Music composed by Thom Batts
Set building by Brittany Conder and Infinity Productions
Set painting by Brittany Conder, Elise Frazier, Krista Portale, Barrett Smyth
Spider fabrication by Brittany Conder
Spider puppeteer and voicing by Trevor Fitzpatrick
Robotic Dung Beetle by Brittany Conder, Lincoln Auker, Daniel Fitzgerald, Aecert Robotics
Props by Brittany Conder and Lincoln Auker

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B has been trapped in bed by self doubt for too long. Experience the surreal and supernatural as she explores her thoughts and the world around her. Sometimes all you need is an open window, a box of electrical components, and a good pair of hiking boots.

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Recommended for: All Ages

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Sally Salem’s Horror in the Holler!

Written and directed by Zoë Peterson

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Fun-loving witch, Sally Salem, is doing some spring-cleaning with Yorick the talking skull, as well as her niece and nephew. Upon discovering a book of Kentucky legends, they decide to take turns bringing these creepy tales of the commonwealth to life in this brand new immersive show filled with puppetry and magic! Join Sally and her family as they explore legends like the Goatman of Pope Lick, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and the Witch Girl of Pilot’s Knob. Who knows? Maybe there's more than just hearsay in the holler....

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Age Recommendation: Ages 8+, recommended to be accompanied by an adult.

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Content Warning:
Please note that while listed, most of the items below are played for humor. This performance is interactive, and puppets and props are shown to the audience to make it clear that what is being presented is theatrical and not real.

• Contains themes of death/dying
• Contains themes of grief
• Contains references to animal cruelty
• Uses red scarves/stuffed animals to represent fake blood or bodies
• Contains references to sexism and violence against women (witch trials)
• Includes thunder and lightning sound effects

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Mary Shelley Electric Company presents The Tongue

Adapted and directed by Katherine Martin
Design and fabrication by Deva North
Choreography by Megan Adair
Music by Chris Martin-Leidner

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In this whimsical reimagining of Nikolai Gogol’s short story The Nose, Iva finds a tongue in her morning roll, Kova seems to have misplaced hers, and the Tongue herself sashays about town with confidence and subversive playfulness. Interlacing traditional theater with puppetry, mask, dance, and live music, Kova frets and twaddles as she searches for her tongue and tries to reclaim her pride amid absurdity. As she does so, the audience is asked to embrace the nonsense of our world where women often illogically lose, find, and reclaim parts of themselves.

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Recommended for: Teen and Adult Audiences

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Looking for Lilith Theatre Company presents

‍Because you were, I am!

‍an interactive journey through The Ancestors Project

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For the past two years, Looking for Lilith has conducted “Ancestors’ Workshops” with community partners throughout Kentucky (such as Adelante Hispanic Achievers and Simmons College), in which participants share stories of an ancestor and LFL artists lead them in creating visual, performance, and literary art that lifts up that Ancestors’ story. This interactive public performance shares stories from these workshops in a unique event in which audience are both observers and participants–both story listeners and storytellers!  Actors and audience travel together as one, accompanied by original music from local playwright and songwriter, Erin Fitzgerald.

Content warning: Stories include accounts of immigration from Central America and Eastern Europe, as well as stories of ancestors facing hardships, including domestic violence, police violence, addiction, and neglect.

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With short plays by Sara Brown Bell, Stephanie Michelle Collins, Betsy Anne Huggins, Amy Pan, Terry Tocantins, Teresa Willis

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An evening of short plays by Louisville writers that spark wonder, challenge convention, and reflect the heart and diversity of our region.

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Ambo Dance Theatre Presents

Mimi

Directed by Amberly M. Simpson

Collaboratively Choreographed and performed by Kennedy Morillo, Mysti Pride, and Amberly M. Simpson

Projection & Lighting Design by Chenoa Buster

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Mimi is a 45-minute dance-theatre work by Ambo Dance Theatre that invites audiences into an intimate encounter with four people navigating life within the sex industry. Blending burlesque-inspired modern dance, spoken word, and live multimedia, the piece reframes sex work through the lens of survival, agency, and autonomy while examining the hidden costs of pursuing financial freedom. Developed in Louisville, Kentucky and rooted in lived experience, Mimi emphasizes audience engagement through proximity and shared presence, using movement, mirrors, and projection to foster empathy and connection.

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Age Recommendation: 18+

Content Warnings: Nudity, Domestic Violence, Sexual Trauma & Harassment

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Artists Collaborative Theatre Presents

‍Blood Song: The Story of the Hatfields & The McCoys

‍Written by Chelsea Marcantel

Directed by Jason Justice

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Twenty-five years of violence, two families, one story. Blood Song: The Story of the Hatfields & the McCoys is the official Kentucky state play on the feud and is widely regarded as the most historically accurate re-telling of the true events. Produced entirely and performed by a company of multigenerational Appalachian theatre artists, Blood Song is a gripping rumination on family, tribalism, community, and the cycle of violence.

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Age Appropriateness: 14+, Accompanied by an Adult

‍Content Warnings

Graphic Depictions of Physical Violence
Use of Prop Firearms
Use of Prop Knives
Depictions of Domestic Violence
Depictions of Gun Violence
References to Slavery
Depictions of Death and Murder
Brief References to Miscarraige
Depictions of Violence Against Children
Graphic Depictions of Gender-Based Violence
Simulated Fire & Smoke Effects
Simulated Gunfire
Simulated Execution by Hanging
Depictions of Abandonment & Grief
Depictions of Kidnapping & Confinement
References to the American Civil War
Brief References to Incest
Depictions of the Child Death
Depictions of Injury
Depictions of Mental Illness
Depictions of Emotional Abuse
Graphic Depictions of Physical Abuse
Depictions of Bullying
Depictions of Torture
Depictions of Ableism
Depictions of Misogyny
Brief References to Racism & Race-Based Enslavement
Depictions of Blood & Gore
Depictions of Pregnancy
Contains improvised language that may differ between performances

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Romantics Vs. Rebels isn't just for lovers. It doesn't matter if you're single or coupled - and who cares what gender or orientation you align with? All that matters is that you pick the queendom you align with and pledge allegiance to helping your queen win honor and glory in this hilarious tawdry farce full of comedy, music and interactivity.

Come as subjects, come as neutral judges or come as royalty and be prepared to play along - costumes and/or team colors highly recommended! You'll have the most fun you've ever had on a random outing! Great for Girl's Night, Guy's Night, Group Night or Date Night!

The Queendoms

Romantics -Team Red. Led by the Queen of Hearts and her flirtatious knight. Love can be intoxicating! Single or coupled, we need our mushy gushy crushy highs (and lows!). It's all for all and --- well all for all. We love you. Like...really love you.

Rebels - Team Black. Led by the Queen of swords and ....well...attended by her "unique" knight. There's a lot to be said for self love. Single or coupled, we don't mind racy but we need our spacey. It's one for one and sometimes one for one and one for one together comfortably, but the rest of the world is just fine - over there.

The Nobles -The VIP nobility tickets for each team ensure you will be along the front of the stage and engage in the most interaction. Royalty also have name placards and chocolates and candies for your consumption. Everyone knows the nobles have the wildest parties.

The Royal Council - You be the judge. The neutral royal council members will be sat at the bar and given judging cards to be the official judges for each round of games and determine which team gets the points.

General seating General seating for each team will still have plenty of fun and be part of the fun and games.

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Divinity Rose - An award winning comedian, stage and screenwriter and producer/director, Divinity spends much of her time these days on award winning video projects or in the film and TV industry but loves to write for interactive theater and technology. She is a gushy mushy crushy Queen of hearts.

Lee Ann Cooper - A true showwoman, this powerhouse of creativity has been a crowd favorite in Burlesque for years thanks to her seductive moves, stunning costumes, sly wit, beautiful voice, timeless style, and ridiculous sense of humor. She's sharp witted, sleek nad the perfect Queen of Swords.

Aaron Smith - Aaron Smith is an improviser, comedian, cartoonist, and storyteller from Eastern Kentucky who's been happy to call Louisville home for the last 12 years. Catch him performing improv comedy every month with Louisville's own Improv Anonymous. He's soo attached as the Knight of Hearts.

Jeff Davis - Jeff is often seen performing comedy in the Louisville area but no so often with his saxophone. He brings humor. He brings music. He brings a unique view to the role of the Knight of Swords.

Ed Black as Pocket Puppet the Fool in memoriam of our dear friend John Cowgell. Ed is a former radio show host and 20-year stand-up comedy veteran, performing mostly in the tri-state region from The Caravan, to clubs in Indiana and Ohio plus at Gilda's LaughFest held annually in Grand Rapids, MI

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Ho Ho Havoc

By Eric Sharp and Andrew Newton Schaftlein

Starring May O’Nays

Directed by TBD

Mayo days be merry and right. We are in a Christmas Crisis! Belief and Hope counts are at an all time low. But have no fear, May O’Nays is here, and she has the correct answer: SANTA!!! After parting ways from her church community, May is in search of a new devotion and a new congregation. Utilizing her theological skill set, May has a multi-step plan to save us all, whether we consent or not. Enjoy an evening of original music, holiday crafts, cookies, and perhaps a bit of Christmas Magic.

Life of the Party

by Tara Anderson

directed by Tory Parker

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Join us in the upstairs lobby space for a shopping party like no other… Drinks, snacks, and the opportunity to test-drive an astonishing new product, demonstrated by our expert Guide Gina and your hostess Rachel. This immersive dark comedy explores the mysteries of friendship through the lens of multi-level marketing companies, while also examining the stories our culture tells about death and loss. Bring your questions, your curiosity, and your favorite ghosts.

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Don’t Do It! With Hannah Don’t DeWitt

Hosted and Curated by Hannah Don’t DeWitt

Starring: TBD

Don’t Do It! With Hannah Don’t DeWitt is an evening revue of wild and uncouth performance art, with an emphasis on the ill-advised. Featuring all local artists, this absurd experience has been described as cathartic, avant-garde, at times delightful, but often hard to watch. The ultimate goal of this show is to create a platform for local artists to make work they are often discouraged from making, resulting in a once-in-a-lifetime experience for viewers. To encourage a consentual audience experience, content warnings are plentiful and viewer discretion is advised.

(18+ only, bring ID)

Content warnings: Detailed content warnings are TBD, but this show often incorporates many sensitive topics which will be both listed in upcoming written promotional materials AND the host will announce relevant content warnings before each act, giving the audience an opportunity to watch portions of the show if some acts are more comfortable than others.

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This Bridge Theatre presents

a reading of

Chagutok

a new play by Vince Gatton

directed by Zac Campbell-Hoogendyk

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Four Americans each make a solitary pilgrimage to a remote, unpopulated island off the Alaska coast, hoping to witness an obscure and mysterious atmospheric phenomenon known as the Chagutok Lights, which occurs only once every seventeen years. They each expect to be camping alone out there, but find themselves stuck in each others' company - an unwelcome situation for these people-skills-challenged individuals, but they manage...until a dead body appears. And it's just the first. Alone on this barren island, these four loners must work together to solve the mysteries of the dead, the Lights...and each other.

‍Week One: Audition Techniques for Theatre

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July 6-10^th from 10:00-3:00pm *lunch not provided, students will bring their own lunches

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Registration includes a sharing on one of our stages on the last day of camp.  

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Step into the audition room with confidence. This fun, hands-on week teaches you everything you need to know about auditioning, led by local professionals with stage and film experience. You'll even meet and get advice from the Actors Theatre of Louisville casting team.

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You'll develop general acting skills, learn how to choose the right monologues for you, learn cold reading techniques, and build stage presence through scene work. You'll also learn about self-tapes and building a resume that stands out. Through mock auditions with personalized feedback, you'll discover what casting directors look for and how to show your best self. Plus, you'll make friends with other young actors who share your passion for theatre!

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This week is also a great choice for anyone interested in casting—you'll gain insight into what happens on the other side of the audition table!

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Note: This week focuses on acting auditions—no singing or dancing required. Whether it's your first audition or you want to get better, you'll leave ready to walk into any audition room with confidence.

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If you would need financial assistance or would like to sponsor a camper, please email LACE@actorstheatre.org

‍Week Two: Epic Voices/Epic Battles—Stage Combat/Vocal Production

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When: July 13-17 from 10:00am-3:00pm *lunch not provided, students will bring their own lunches

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Registration includes a sharing on one of our stages on the last day of camp.

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Unleash your power on stage. This exciting week combines stage combat with vocal training, led by industry professionals extensively trained in fight choreography and voice work.

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You'll learn how to safely perform dramatic fight scenes—from swordplay to hand-to-hand combat. You'll also strengthen your voice, learn to project with power, and explore different dialects. Each skill is taught separately, then at the end of the week, you'll bring them together in a fun share that shows off everything you've learned. Plus, you'll make friends with other young performers who love action and adventure.

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By the end of the week, you'll be ready to take on epic roles with confidence and skill.

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If you would need financial assistance or would like to sponsor a camper, please email LACE@actorstheatre.org

Week Three: New Voices Playwriting  

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When: July 20-24 from 10:00am-3:00pm *lunch not provided, students will bring their own lunches

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Registration includes a sharing on one of our stages on the last day of camp.

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Bring your stories to the stage. This creative week invites you to explore the art of playwriting, led by published playwrights with professional experience.

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You'll discover how to craft compelling characters, write dynamic dialogue, and structure scenes that keep audiences engaged—all while exploring any kind of storytelling that interests you. From brainstorming your first idea to hearing your words come to life through readings with fellow campers, you'll experience the full journey of creating a play. Plus, you'll make friends with other young writers who share your love of storytelling.

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By the end of the week, you'll have your own original work and the skills to keep writing long after camp ends. Whether you dream of seeing your name in a playbill or just love creating stories, this is your chance to discover your voice as a playwright.

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If you would need financial assistance or would like to sponsor a camper, please email LACE@actorstheatre.org

Week Four: Technical Theatre and Design  

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July 27-31 from 10:00am-3:00pm *lunch not provided, students will bring their own lunches

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Registration includes a sharing at the end of the week.  

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Step behind the scenes and discover the magic that brings productions to life. This hands-on week explores the basics of technical theatre and design—costuming, lighting, sets, sound, and everything in-between!

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Each day focuses on a different area of design and technology, taught by designers and technicians from the Actors Theatre of Louisville team and other working professionals in the area. You'll learn how each element works together to create the world of a play and gain practical skills you can use whether you're working on a school show or dreaming of a career behind the scenes. Plus, you'll make friends with other creative minds who love building the magic of theatre.

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By the end of the week, you'll see theatre in a whole new way and understand how every production is a collaboration between artists on stage and off.

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If you would need financial assistance or would like to sponsor a camper, please email LACE@actorstheatre.org

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